Officials cut the ribbon on new Gastonia senior housing complex

(Photo Mike Hensdill/The Gaston Gazette) THe new Highland Memorial Apartments held a Dedication and Grand Opening at the complex on North Highland Street in Gastonia Tuesday, October 8, 2013. Here, (L-R) Gastonia Mayor John Bridgeman, Jim Gallagher, Todd Pierceall, Senator Kathy Harrington and Ash Smith check out the birth certificate of the apartment owner who was born in the same building when it was Gaston Memorial Hospital in 1958 as they and others toured a few of the apartments.

Published: Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 05:14 PM.

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When the former City Hospital in Gastonia was still being transformed into senior housing last year, Linda Graves often came to gaze through the windows, eager to see signs of progress.

She still peers through the glass panes many nights. As president of the Highland Memorial Apartments community watch group, she does so from the inside, with a protective eye on her new neighborhood.

“I love it here,” said Graves, who recently moved into a one-bedroom apartment with her husband. “I feel peaceful and I’m in constant communication with everybody.”

Graves was among the residents on hand for the grand opening of the apartments Tuesday morning at 401 N. Highland St. The event also brought together city, county and state leaders, as well as architects, developers and financing agents. All shared critical roles in converting the historic property.

The buildings that made up the old infirmary have been restored to include 75 one- and two-bedroom apartments with modern amenities, available to seniors 55 and older. Fifty-three of the apartments have been rented since the project was completed in the spring, but 22 are still available.

From wrecking ball to renovation

The original hospital was built in the 1920s. Through a venture to honor the county’s World War II dead, it expanded and became Gaston Memorial Hospital in 1948. But in recent years, it had deteriorated and become a haven for pigeons among the asbestos.

County commissioners were on the verge of spending almost $800,000 to demolish it before former Gastonia City Manager Jim Palenickin 2011 helped structure a deal to preserve the buildings. By 2012, the city had secured a $5 million federal grant, which it put toward renovating not only the hospital, but also the historic Armstrong Apartments complex downtown.

That federal money combined with millions of dollars in historic tax credits and private investment, said Rex Todd of The Landmark Group, the development firm that oversaw the work. The overall investment into the two projects totaled $14 million.

“Having a project that involves 85 percent private equity and only 15 percent debt is what allows people of lower incomes to stay (at Highland Memorial Apartments),” he said.

Preservation North Carolina, a nonprofit that strives to find new uses for forlorn historic structures, also played a critical role. And Todd emphasized how critical the timing was to make the project work. It depended on a state loan that will no longer be available next year.

“This was a fleeting moment,” he said.

‘The bones are good’

Architects and developers alike raved over the discoveries they made in restoring the old hospital.

“The craftsmanship in these buildings is remarkable,” said Ed Lipsky, president of Rehab Builders. “As you’ve heard people say, the bones are good.”

Lipsky recalled how construction workers uncovered skylights that had been installed in the operating rooms of the hospital when it was new.

“These operating rooms were advanced for their time,” he said. “This was actually a ‘green’ hospital back in 1924.”

Gastonia Mayor John Bridgeman noted this is just the latest in a string of the city’s recent successes in restoring historic properties.

“We all know what’s going on at Loray (Mill),” he said. “We all know what went on at Armstrong. Basically, this is the next phase.”

Graves was living in an apartment with her husband elsewhere in Gastonia last year. She was unhappy with the environment and their sheltered lifestyle and dreamed of being somewhere they could make friends and interact with people more often.

Now, she and her fellow residents oversee a courtyard garden with collards, other vegetables and flowers. They hold a covered-dish supper together once a month and gather for other special events.

“God showed me a path and I took it,” she said. “We’ve got our own little world here.”

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.

Highland Memorial Apartments

Location: 401 N. Highland St.

Opening date: March or April

Total units: 75

One-bedroom: 63

Two-bedroom: 12

Who can rent: Senior citizens who are 55 years and older, regardless of disability

Income restrictions: Rent must be affordable for lower income tenants who make half or less than half of the median income for the region

How to pre-lease: Call Chandra Goodson or Brandie Wilks at 704-322-0522 or email brandie@landmarkdevelopment.biz.

Open house Friday

What: Open house and luncheon

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday

Cost: Free

Why go: See the new Highland Memorial Apartments complex, where 22 units are still vacant. Lunch will be served and tours will be provided. Anyone who wishes to apply for residency will have the $24 application fee waived through the end of October and those who sign a lease by Oct. 31 will receive a $200 gift card toward a utility deposits or for moving expenses.

More new apartments:

Loftin at Montcross senior housing

Location: Behind Abbey Plaza Shopping Center in Belmont

Opening date: Early 2014; applications are being accepted now

Total units: 72 one-and two-bedroom apartments

Who can rent: Lower-income tenants. Monthly rents will range from around $300 to $700, depending on income and apartment size.

When the former City Hospital in Gastonia was still being transformed into senior housing last year, Linda Graves often came to gaze through the windows, eager to see signs of progress.

She still peers through the glass panes many nights. As president of the Highland Memorial Apartments community watch group, she does so from the inside, with a protective eye on her new neighborhood.

“I love it here,” said Graves, who recently moved into a one-bedroom apartment with her husband. “I feel peaceful and I’m in constant communication with everybody.”

Graves was among the residents on hand for the grand opening of the apartments Tuesday morning at 401 N. Highland St. The event also brought together city, county and state leaders, as well as architects, developers and financing agents. All shared critical roles in converting the historic property.

The buildings that made up the old infirmary have been restored to include 75 one- and two-bedroom apartments with modern amenities, available to seniors 55 and older. Fifty-three of the apartments have been rented since the project was completed in the spring, but 22 are still available.

From wrecking ball to renovation

The original hospital was built in the 1920s. Through a venture to honor the county’s World War II dead, it expanded and became Gaston Memorial Hospital in 1948. But in recent years, it had deteriorated and become a haven for pigeons among the asbestos.

County commissioners were on the verge of spending almost $800,000 to demolish it before former Gastonia City Manager Jim Palenickin 2011 helped structure a deal to preserve the buildings. By 2012, the city had secured a $5 million federal grant, which it put toward renovating not only the hospital, but also the historic Armstrong Apartments complex downtown.

That federal money combined with millions of dollars in historic tax credits and private investment, said Rex Todd of The Landmark Group, the development firm that oversaw the work. The overall investment into the two projects totaled $14 million.

“Having a project that involves 85 percent private equity and only 15 percent debt is what allows people of lower incomes to stay (at Highland Memorial Apartments),” he said.

Preservation North Carolina, a nonprofit that strives to find new uses for forlorn historic structures, also played a critical role. And Todd emphasized how critical the timing was to make the project work. It depended on a state loan that will no longer be available next year.

“This was a fleeting moment,” he said.

‘The bones are good’

Architects and developers alike raved over the discoveries they made in restoring the old hospital.

“The craftsmanship in these buildings is remarkable,” said Ed Lipsky, president of Rehab Builders. “As you’ve heard people say, the bones are good.”

Lipsky recalled how construction workers uncovered skylights that had been installed in the operating rooms of the hospital when it was new.

“These operating rooms were advanced for their time,” he said. “This was actually a ‘green’ hospital back in 1924.”

Gastonia Mayor John Bridgeman noted this is just the latest in a string of the city’s recent successes in restoring historic properties.

“We all know what’s going on at Loray (Mill),” he said. “We all know what went on at Armstrong. Basically, this is the next phase.”

Graves was living in an apartment with her husband elsewhere in Gastonia last year. She was unhappy with the environment and their sheltered lifestyle and dreamed of being somewhere they could make friends and interact with people more often.

Now, she and her fellow residents oversee a courtyard garden with collards, other vegetables and flowers. They hold a covered-dish supper together once a month and gather for other special events.

“God showed me a path and I took it,” she said. “We’ve got our own little world here.”

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.

Highland Memorial Apartments

Location: 401 N. Highland St.

Opening date: March or April

Total units: 75

One-bedroom: 63

Two-bedroom: 12

Who can rent: Senior citizens who are 55 years and older, regardless of disability

Income restrictions: Rent must be affordable for lower income tenants who make half or less than half of the median income for the region

How to pre-lease: Call Chandra Goodson or Brandie Wilks at 704-322-0522 or email brandie@landmarkdevelopment.biz.

Open house Friday

What: Open house and luncheon

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday

Cost: Free

Why go: See the new Highland Memorial Apartments complex, where 22 units are still vacant. Lunch will be served and tours will be provided. Anyone who wishes to apply for residency will have the $24 application fee waived through the end of October and those who sign a lease by Oct. 31 will receive a $200 gift card toward a utility deposits or for moving expenses.

More new apartments:

Loftin at Montcross senior housing

Location: Behind Abbey Plaza Shopping Center in Belmont

Opening date: Early 2014; applications are being accepted now

Total units: 72 one-and two-bedroom apartments

Who can rent: Lower-income tenants. Monthly rents will range from around $300 to $700, depending on income and apartment size.